The Roy L. and Clara Belle Wiley Planetarium is located in Walters Hall on the Delta State University campus in Cleveland. It was founded in 1976 and is named for Mr. Roy Lee Wiley and his wife. The planetarium is used for university astronomy classes and also presents special programs for schools and the general public.
Mr. Wiley taught physics at Delta State from 1942 to 1975. He was known as a challenging teacher whose keen mind set a rapid pace for his students as he expertly and nimbly explained the intricacies of complex problems. Mr. Wiley passed away in 2010 at the age of 103.
After being closed for several years, the Wiley planetarium underwent extensive renovations and reopened again to the public in October of 2016. The new Wiley Planetarium boasts an Evans and Sutherland Digistar 5 digital projection system. In addition to displaying the Sun, Moon, stars, and constellation patterns, the planetarium can display full-dome video and images, all complemented with a powerful 5.1 digital surround-sound system. The planetarium also has the capability to project in 3D, allowing audiences to see planets floating right in front of their face!
A current schedule of shows can be found on their website. General inquiries or requests for special shows can be made by sending an email to [email protected].